Foreign Student Nearly Faces $300 Fine for Not Returning Tray & Repeatedly Warns Other Foreigners to Return Their Trays

For most of us, returning trays seems to be an innate response at this point.

For the rest of you, stop delivering all your food lah. It’s time to leave the house, touch some grass, and perhaps head to the hawker centre.

However, a handful of people in Singapore aren’t used to returning their trays for other reasons. One particular foreign student recently spoke about how the stringent tray return laws are unfair to foreigners who are unclear of Singapore’s laws.

He nearly faced a $300 fine for failing to return his tray.

Foreign Student Nearly Faces $300 Fine for Not Returning Tray

On 14 August, a post surfaced on the Chinese version of Instagram, Xiaohongshu, which drew the attention of Singaporeans and foreigners alike.

It was a post by a foreign student pursuing his studies at James Cook University, recounting his experience of nearly facing a $300 fine for failing to return his tray.

According to the user, he visited a food court in Singapore with his friends and ordered a plate of cai png for $4.

Yet, the amount that would have left his wallet that day almost became $304.

After he finished his meal, he did not return his tray. As a result, he was issued a warning just as he was leaving—a warning for failing to return his tray.

The foreign student shared a photo of a warning ticket issued in June. It is unclear whether this ticket was issued to the foreign student, or belonged to someone else and was shared merely for illustration purposes.

Taken aback, the foreign student shares that this is the first time he has been issued a warning for failing to clear his tray. He also added that it was unfair to expect foreigners who might not know Singapore’s tray return rules to return their trays.

Well, at least he wasn’t fined for the transgression. Of course, if the foreign student is caught failing to return his tray again, he will be subject to a fine of $300.

I guess that’s one story to tell his friends back home.

Foreign Student Warns Other Foreigners to Return Their Trays

As the saying goes: Once bitten, twice shy.

After being issued the warning, the foreign student will definitely be extra cautious about returning his tray—he even warns other foreigners on Xiaohongshu to do so.

“I would like to remind everyone to return their trays after eating in food courts,” the foreign student said in his post, not once, not twice, but thrice.

So, what’s your take on the issue? Do you think it’s fair to expect foreigners to be aware of Singapore’s laws on tray return?

TLDR on Tray Return Laws in Singapore

This is far from the first time we’ve seen someone fail to return their tray. In June this year, an 80-year-old was issued a warning for failing to return his tray at the Chinatown Complex Food Centre after his meal.

Hopefully, to clear up confusion on tray return laws in Singapore once and for all, here’s a TLDR of what you need to know about returning your tray.

If you’re dining in a hawker centre, coffee shop or food court, you must return your trays and crockery and clean your table litter.

Yes, that means all your tissue papers must also be cleared. Please don’t leave them on the table.

If you’re caught failing to clear your used trays, you’ll be given a warning if it’s your first offence. That means won’t kena saman yet.

On your second offence, you’ll be fined $300. Repeat offenders will be issued court fines.